Salem Residents Invited to Share Experiences in Annual Community Belonging Survey

Salem, Ore. - The City of Salem's Human Rights Commission, in partnership with Western Oregon University, has launched its annual Community Belonging Survey and encourages all community members to participate.

The survey, open now through May 12, 2026, asks Salem community members about their experiences with discrimination and sense of belonging, as well as perceptions of welcoming.

"Everyone deserves the opportunity to be heard, especially when it comes to decisions that shape their community," said Robert Marshall, chair of the Salem Human Rights Commission. "This survey helps ensure that people across Salem, including those whose voices are often underrepresented, can share their experiences concerning belonging to and in this community."

Since 2020, the commission has partnered with graduate students in Western Oregon University's Organizational Leadership program to collect and analyze this data. The findings are an additional tool to help the city better understand community needs and guide recommendations to Salem's City Council.

About the Survey

The survey is anonymous and takes approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. It is open to anyone who lives in or regularly spends time in Salem and is available in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Chuukese and Marshallese. Targeted outreach is conducted to ensure participation from communities that are often underrepresented in traditional surveys, including individuals experiencing homelessness.

Community participation is essential to ensure that the results reflect the full diversity of Salem's population. We are especially interested in hearing from communities whose voices are often underrepresented in traditional surveys.

Take the survey here: bit.ly/hrcbelonging

For more information about the City of Salem's Human Rights Commission and its work, please visit https://www.cityofsalem.net/government/boards-commissions/salem-human-rights-commission